She kept booking with me until friendship became something more

Im Tony, Vietnamese, and I have worked as a nail tech in Duluth, Georgia, for two years.

I met Mina at a friend’s house during a small weekend gathering.

She is Korean American, and knew only a few people there. We started talking while helping our friend clean up food and empty cups.

When Mina learned I worked as a nail tech, she asked whether men really did nails for a living.

I told her plenty of us did and that some were better than the women.

She laughed and said she might have to test that claim.

A few days later, she booked a manicure at my salon.

I thought she was joking at the party, so I was surprised when she actually showed up.

During the appointment, we talked about work, family, music, and restaurants around Duluth. The conversation felt easy because we had already met outside the salon.

Mina returned two weeks later.

Then she kept coming back.

Sometimes she needed a full manicure. Other times her nails still looked fine, but she claimed she wanted a different color.

My coworkers noticed that she always booked my schedule, even when she had to wait longer.

They said she liked me.

I told them we were only friends.

That was true at first.

Mina and I started texting after her appointments. We sent each other restaurant recommendations, complained about work, and sometimes met with the same group of friends.

I liked her, but I did not want to make her uncomfortable by asking out a regular customer.

Mina eventually became tired of waiting.

After one appointment, she stayed near my station while I cleaned up.

She asked whether I treated every customer like a friend or only her.

I told her only her.

Then she asked why I had never invited her out alone.

I admitted that I was not sure whether she was interested or simply enjoyed coming to the salon.

Mina laughed and said no one changed nail colors that often unless there was another reason.

We had dinner together that weekend.

Our first date did not feel much different from our friendship, except neither of us pretended anymore.

We talked for hours, and Mina admitted she had booked the first appointment because she wanted to see me again after the party.

She kept returning because she liked how comfortable she felt around me.

We have been together for seven months now.

Mina still gets her nails done at the salon, but one of my coworkers usually takes her appointments. They say I work too slowly when she sits with me.

She still claims she first came only to test whether I was good at nails.

I do not believe her.

By the second appointment, neither of us was really thinking about the manicure anymore.